Koch and Lamas each have ties to the Chicago-area, the site of the UFC card in January. Koch (13-1) trains at Roufusport, which is located in Milwaukee, a short drive from Chicago. Lamas (12-2) trains just outside Chicago.

The Koch-Lamas contest could help determine the next contender in the UFC's featherweight division, as both are undefeated inside the Octagon. In fact, Koch had a pair of title fights with Jose Aldo scheduled for 2012, but injuries scrapped both bouts.